Link for endless traction belts



H, 1941. LE RQY M, KUEAUGH 252341,92?

\ LINK FOR ENDLEss TRAoTloN BELTS Filed July 19, 1939 NTOR ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 11, "17941K ,f

UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE ne Tire Rubber Company, Akron,

Ohio, a corporation o! Ohio Application July 19, 19.39, Serial N0. 285,313

claims.

This invention relates to links for endless traction belts, and more especially it relates to improved links of the rubber shoe type employed for the tracks of track-laying vehicles.

Links of the character mentioned comprise an' insert consisting of a pair of parallel spaced meta1 sleeves connected at their ends by metal webs or end plates, and a rubber structure covering the exterior thereofv except the outer lateral faces of the end plates. In the prior construction, the said inserts consisted of metal forgings, the sleeves and webs being of one piece. After the insert was forged, the sleeves required to be drilled or reamed, the axes oirthe sleeves requiring to be a definite distance apart from each other. Because of shrinkage of the metal, it frequently happened that afterr being drilled or reamed the walls of the sleeve were of non-unliorm thickness, with the result that failure freouently occurred. Furthermore, because the sleeves and Webs were made in one piece, it was impossible to obtain a sharp angle at the juncture of sleeves and webs, there being, instead, a

, substantial radius or fillet at these points, with the result that the Webs oiered little resistance to the lateral displacement of the rubber when the latter was subjected to compression stress, and separation of rubber and metal was a frequent occurrence. 'I'he aforesaid prior construction of the links is shown in Patent No. 2,129,696 of September 13, 1938, to Knox, and it is to the relief ci the unsatisfactory features mentioned that this invention primarily is directed.

The chief objects of the invention are to pron vide an improved link of the character mentioned; to provide a link of such construction is more strongly and efllciently to resist separation of rubber and metal; to provide against the entrance of grit between rubber and metal surfaces; to protect the end plates of the link against abrasion and corrosion; and to provide a construction wherein the strain on the rubber at the ends of the link is relieved. Other objects will be manifest as the description proceeds.

Of the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan view of the lower reach of a track constructed of links made according to the invention; l

Figure 2 is aplan view of a single track link, parts being broken away and in section;

Figure 3 is a side elevation oi the structure shown in Figure l;

Figure 4 is a section, on a larger scale, on the line 4-4 of Figure 2; v

A, whichlinks are connected in spaced relation by rigid links B that are mounted upon link pins C that extend transversely through opposite ends of the links A.

The links A are of identical construction, each comprising a block Ill ot tough, wear-resisting rubber composition, and a rigid metal frame or insert therein, which insert comprises a pair of Y spaced, tubular, bearing or sleeve portions Il, il,

and end plates or webs It, i2 secured to the op-` posite ends of said sleeves. The said insert or frame is a fabricated structure, in which respect it differs from prior structures of similar nature. In the manufacture of the insert, the end plates l2 are apcrtured at two points the desired distance apart, the sleeve portions il of proper gauge metal are mounted with their ends in the apertures in the end plates, the sleeves and end plates thereafter being welded together to produce a unitary structure. By reason of the fabricated construction of the insert, the walls of the sleeves Il are of uniform thickness and strength and they intersect the confronting surfaces oi the end plates I2 at right angles to provide perpendicular shoulders thereat, there being no appreciable radius or fillets at these points `such as was present in prior constructions.

The block or body of rubber composition l0 covers all of the frame or insert except the outer faces of the side plates l2, said rubber being bonded to the insert by vulcanization, and constituting a shoe or tread for resiliently supporting a vehicle. `Between the' end plates i2 the rubber structure IU is of greatest width and thickness, and extends substantially beyond the margins of said side plates. Over the margins of the side plates the width and thickness of the lrubber structure is reduced so that said margins are covered only by a relatively thin layer of rubber, as is most clearly shown in Figure 5. The arrangement is such as. to relieve strains on the rubber at the ends of the block, and at the same time, the covering over the margins of the end plates protects the same against abrasion andI corrosion which tends to work in between the rubber and metal, and thus would ends of the sleeves II,

otherwise destroy the bond therebetween. Be-` cause ct the perpendicular lateral abutments provided by the end plates. lateral displacement or ilow oi the rubber under compressive load substantially is prevented.

Mounted within each sleeve II of the insert is a link pin C. which link pin is held concentric with the sleeve I I in spaced relation thereto by a rubber bearing structure aligned sections I4, Il. Each bearing section Il consists oi e. rubber collar that is vulcanized to the link pin and which frictionally engages the inner surface o! a sleeve II. Adjacent sections II are spaced apart from each other and normally are of substantially larger outside diameter than the inside diameter ot the sleeve II. The link pin C requires to be forced into a sleeve I I, with the result that the bearing sections I4 are subjected to radial stress which deforms them and spreads them laterally until they abut each other. as shown in Figures 2 and 5.

The link pins C project beyond the respective and have their projecting end portions tangentially grooved as at I8. In an assembled belt structure the grooves I6 of the pins C of adjacent links receive the wedge shaped head i8 of a bolt i9 that extends through a ilange 20 on a rigid link B, tosecure adjacent resilient links together in the usual manner.

The invention provides a link of superior wearing qualities and achieves the other advantages set out in the foregoing statement of objects.

Modification may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention, or the scope thereof as dened by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A link for endless traction belts, said link l' ends to a pair of end plates, said consisting oi axially Afabrication thereof at metallic insert therein, said insert comprising e.

unitary structure fabricated from a pair al" parallel tubular bearing sleeves joined et their end plates providing sharply dened perpendicular shoulders at their juncture with the sleeves, said cody structure being vulcanized to the insert alter all points oi contact therewith.

2. A link for endless traction belts, said link comprising a body structure oi rubber and a .fabricated metallic insert therein, said insert comprising a unitary structure made up o' a pair of parallel tubular bearing sleeves having their end portions received in apertures formed plates, said end plates being welded to the sleeves and providing sharply defined perpendicular shoulders at their juncture with the sleeves, said body structure being vulcanized to the insert after fabrication thereof at all points of contact therewith.

3. A link for endless traction belts-said link comprising a unitary fabricated metal frame or insert consisting of parallel tubular bearing sleeves united at their opposite ends with a pair of end plates that deilne perpendicular shoulders at the ends of the sleeves, and a rubber structure vulcanized to said frame after fabrication of the latter and at all points of contact therewith and completely lateral faces of said end plates, said rubber structure being of greatest width and' thickness between the end plates, the thickness-of the rubberstructure being reduced over the margins or the end plates. Y

IE ROY M.,-'KUEAUGH,

covering said frame except the outer 

